Folding table or the like



Sept. 2, 1952 M. LEVINSON FOLDING TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 19492 SHEETS-'rSHEET 1 $15; [a wvson; I IVl EIYTOIe.

By dw'wemey Sept. 2, 1952 M. LEVINSON 2,609,072

FOLDING TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 47minPatented Sept. 2, 1952 FOLDING TABLE OR THE LIKE Moses Levinson,Yonkers, .N. Y., assignor to 7 Nathan Levinson, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application February 25, 1949, Serial No. 78,305

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to devices which fold up into the'form ofa valise, useful to'carry the paraphernalia of 'bathers,'campers,artists, mechanics, artisans, picnic goers, travellers, etc.,

and which when desired can beset up to form a chair,'work bench, desk ortable.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a combinationarticle of the character mentioned, of novel and improved constructionhaving disappearing legs housed within the valise, and which does notrequire the valise to be opened in order to set the legs into erectedposition to iormthe chair or table and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improveddevice of the kind described which is simple and convenient to use, andwhich is efficient in carrying out the purposesfor which it is intendedand designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings:

Fig; 1 .is a perspective view showing an embodiment of this invention,in erected condition.

Fig. .2 .is a similar viewshowing the article in the form of avalise, tobe carried as hand-luggage- Fig. 3 omits theend extension tables and isa sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 4, but the legs are shown afterbeing moved to a position lying" between housed and erected positions.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3, but omits the cover of the valise.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4, but includes thecover of the valise, which is shown in open position, and also shows thelegs after they have been moved to erected position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at line 65 in Fig. 1,showing in particular the leg and leg lock structures and associatedmechanism which embody teachings of this invention.

In the drawings, the numeral designates a box structure having aswingable hinged top cover I6. It may be made to resemble a valise witha handle [8, and if desired may have the rings 11 for attachment of ashoulder strap. The interior of the valise may be provided with arectangular fence l9 extending from, and secured to, the bottom to forma storage space 2|, and a perimetral housing 22. Within this housing 22,along each side of the valise or box 15, is a journalled shaft. One ofthese shafts is designated by the numeral 23, and the other by thenumeral 24. These shafts are parallel and are near the bottom 29 of thebox structure. Although four separate legs are possible, I have chosento vjoin them in pairs, so that each pair forms a u-shaped component;'One such U- shaped component is' designated generally by the numeral26, and the other by 21. The arms of each of these U-shaped members 26and 21 are parallel. V

The member 26 is carried on shaft 23, with each of its arms 26' and 26"longitudinally slidable thereon along lines perpendicular to the axis ofsaid shaft. In like manner, the member 21 is carried on shaft 24,with'each of its arms 21 and 21/7 longitudinally slidable thereon alonglines perpendicular'to'the'axis of said shaft 24; The free ends ofalliof said arms are inside the box structure l5, andresp'ectivelyterminate in enlarged heads'carried one at each such arm end,'indicat'edas 30', 3 I, 32 and 33. Each of said heads hasanopenlongitudinal socket as at 34 (see Fig. 6), adapted: forengagement'with a downwardly extending pin 35, secured on a fixedbracket. There is one such bracket for each-socket, and saidbrackets arerespectively designated as 36, 31, .38 and 39;1we1ded or otherwisesuitably secured to'theinterior of the boxstructure, a suitabledistanceabove the respective shafts 23 and 24'. If de sired,'the shafts23 and 24 may be provided with traverse holes therethrough as at '40,through which a leg component may slide to nested position within thehousing 22. The legs 26 and 21 may be made of tubular stock, and theentire article may be made of light weight metal, such as aluminum orother, suitable material or combinations" of material. The storage'space2| is, of course, forthe carrying of any desired articles in accordancewith the needs of the user.

Each of the leg components carry about them a compression coil spring,as indicated by the numeral 4!, between the shaft they slide through andtheir end head. The length of each of such coil springs is such thatthey will be stressed when the assembly is effected as shown in Fig. 6,showing the legs in erected use position, rigid and sturdy with respectto the box structure. Said box is of sufficient width to receive all ofthe leg members 26 and 21 therewithin, when the article is in foldedcondition, and of course, the length of the legs provides a table orseat as in Fig. 1, of desired and convenient height. The box cover,which serves as the seat or table top, may also be set to open position,by a friction folding brace 42. This provides the desk or dressing tableform, as matter of example. The undersurface of the cover member I6 mayhave suitable 3 fittings or a mirror, as the user may desire. Channels43 for slidable extension panels 44 and 45 may be provided, withsuitable slot openings 45 in the box side walls through which suchpanels may pass. Holes 4'! through a panel may be used to hold taperedtumblers. Each of the extension panels may have a lip 48 as a handlemeans therefor.

To be noted, are the dihedral cut-outs or openings shown at 50, 5|, 52and 53. Each such cutout is part in the bottom of the box and part in anend wall thereof, in the embodiment illustrated. Such cut-outs permitmovement of the leg members 21 and 21, laterally out of the boxstructure, and then to be swung to their upright position for erectionof the device, or else reverse movement to collapse the article tocondition shown in Fig. 2, from the erected position shown in Fig. 1. Ifdesired, the respective pairs of such openings may be connected by anopening 54, which serves to receive the leg components connecting thearms of the U-shaped member; the shafts 23 and 24 being near enough tothe side walls of the box structure so that the leg members may bereached through the enlarged opening portion 54', and then pulled out byhand.

It is evident that manipulation of the legs 26 and 21 does not requirethat the box be open at any time, because they are readily accessibleand free for any of their movements with the box in closed condition.The legs being joined in pairs, require only the two parts 21 and 26 tobe manipulated. Though not so convenient, it is of course possible toomit the connection pieces joining the four arms in pairs, in whichinstance there would be four separate members, namely, 26, 26", 2'! and21", to manipulate.

The manner of setting up this article into condition for use as shown inFig. 1 and Fig. 5, and then into folded condition for carrying, asillustrated in Fig. 2, has been sufficiently set forth in the abovedescription, making further explanation unnecessary.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein bedeemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall coverall patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to thefollowing claims rather than to the specific description herein toindicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In an article of the character described, a box structure having top,bottom and side walls,

a member journalled for rotary movement within the box about asubstantially horizontal axis near a side wall and below the top wall,an elongated leg member normally lying substantially within the box;said leg member being slidably mounted on the journalled member foraxial movement transversely of said horizontal axis; a leg-engagingmember mounted within the box above the journalled member and spacedtherefrom to engagingly receive an end of the leg member when the legmember is moved to 0perative position; the side and bottom walls beingprovided with an opening through which the leg may be manually slidoutwardly of the box in a substantially horizontal direction and for thegreater part of its length, then swung downwardly about the horizontalaxis of said member to substantially upright position, and then pushedupwardly into engagement with the leg-engaging member.

2. In an article as described in claim 1, there being a pair of said legmembers connected in spaced parallel relation by a transverse rod so asto form a U-shaped support, there being a spaced pair of saidleg-engaging members mounted within the box to receive the free ends ofthe legs of said U-shaped support, and there being a spaced pair of saidopenings through which the respective legs of the U-shaped support maybe manually pulled outwardly of the box in said substantially horizontaldirection to said extent, then simultaneously swung downwardly to saidsubstantially upright position, and then simultaneously pushed upwardlyin engagement with the respective leg-engaging members.

MOSES LEVIN SON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

